Oregon State is exchanging one former infield great for another on its baseball coaching staff.

Darwin Barney is out; Joey Wong is in.

Barney leaves after three years serving head coach Mitch Canham as a “volunteer” assistant, which is a misnomer if there ever were one. Through 2023, the NCAA allowed only two paid assistant coaches in D-I baseball; additional coaches were labeled as volunteers. Those coaches work every bit as hard as salaried assistants.

Now, as of July 1, an NCAA rule change allows for three paid assistants.

But Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes has opted not to fund a salaried third assistant. That played a role in Barney’s departure, along with family issues.

“It just didn’t line up for us this year, with family and finances and the way things are going,” says Barney, 37, who played on three College World Series teams at Oregon State from 2005-07 before embarking on an eight-year major league career that included a Gold Glove season with the Chicago Cubs.

Barney joined Canham’s staff in 2021 and was paid through funds from clinics and camps as well as booster donations. Barney never moved to Corvallis. He commuted from his home in Lake Oswego, where he and wife Lindsay are raising their four children. Barney sought a raise to offset time and expenses but was told the school wouldn’t cover funding the position.

Darwin didn’t want to move from Lake Oswego, which proved difficult at times for both Barney and Canham.

“The inability to live in Corvallis was a big factor,” Barney says. “I’m sure in a lot of ways it will be easier on Mitch. It was just not in the cards for me to stay.”

Canham admits that Barney’s living situation was not ideal.

“He was a ways away,” Canham says. “That made it tough to be around all the time. Commuting that far every day is very difficult.”

Barney has been a huge part of Oregon State’s success the past three years. The Beavers have gone 126-62 overall, finished second in the Pac-12 the past two seasons and reached the NCAA Tournament all three years. Barney’s presence and work coaching infielders and hitters was an effective recruiting tool and helped make the Beavers better on both the offensive and defensive sides.

“Darwin is an amazing human being and a phenomenal coach,” Canham says. “He is the kind of guy who brings the best out of everyone around him. He does it for players; he does it for coaches. He has a huge heart, and he poured it into Beaver baseball. I love that man. I will miss him.”

I asked Canham if he is disappointed the third coaching position won’t be fully funded. And how much it was a factor in Barney leaving. Canham declined to answer on both counts.

“I don’t know if I can comment on that,” Canham says.

Ironically, Canham, Barney and Wong have a strong connection. All were starters on the 2007 Oregon State team that won the second of back-to-back national championships. Canham was catcher, Barney played shortstop and Wong was the second baseman. Barney and Wong teamed up on one of the most spectacular and memorable double plays in CWS history in the Beavers’ 3-2 win over Cal State Fullerton in their opener at Omaha that year.

Canham draws a parallel from that play to what is happening with Oregon State’s coaching staff.

“It was the most immaculate double play ever done,” the OSU coach says. “You’re seeing the same thing in this situation — Darwin, then Joey.”

Wong was a three-year starter for Oregon State, moving to shortstop his final two years. Under Coach Pat Casey, the Beavers went 114-61 during Wong’s three seasons. The slick-fielding graduate of Salem’s Sprague High had his best season at the plate as a freshman, batting .288 in 67 games. Wong hit .244 as a sophomore and .255 as a junior.

Chosen by Colorado in the 24th round of the 2009 major league draft, Wong spent 11 years playing in the minor leagues, playing 817 games in the Rockies, Mariners and Mets organizations. From 2015-18 he played all or part of each season at the Triple-A level but never made the major leagues, the result of a .239 career batting average. The left-handed-hitting Wong, who played second, shortstop and third base in the minors, also played for China in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

After retiring as a player at age 31 in 2019, Wong returned to Corvallis and spent two years as an undergraduate assistant during Canham’s first two years as head coach. In 2020, Wong coached the OSU infielders and helped with the hitters. The next year, he assisted Barney with the infielders and helped with the hitters.

“It was a great introduction into coaching,” says Wong, now 35, who has spent the past two years as a volunteer assistant at Seattle University. “I’m thankful for that experience.”

Last season, Seattle U. was 21-32 overall but finished 17-13 and fourth in Western Athletic Conference play.

“My time in Seattle was amazing,” Wong says, “but we are over the moon to be returning to Corvallis.”

Joey and wife Aubrie have two children, daughter Jett, who will be six next month, and son Bobo, three.

“When you go into coaching after playing at Oregon State, the thing you want to do is get back there as a coach,” Wong says. “This opportunity is everything I could have wanted. I am eager to keep growing and learning and doing what I can to help our players succeed. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Wong will work with infielders and hitters at Oregon State.

“I’m thrilled to have him back,” Canham says. “When Joey left Oregon State, we had a talk about what are the next steps (in his coaching career). He asked, ‘What do I need to do to get better and find my way back here?’

“The gist was, get involved, use your voice, work extremely hard, build relationships, work with kids for the on-field stuff. But also the off-field stuff that comes with the job — recruiting, building networks. Joey has excelled with that. He is well-respected. Being around guys whom you trust and know will work extremely hard is important to us. You need people you want in your foxhole. Darwin is one of those guys. So is Joey.”

Barney gives Wong a strong endorsement.

“Joey is somebody I fully trust, and I’m so happy for him,” Barney says. “He works hard, and for him to be able to take care of his family, I’m super excited for him.”

Barney admits to mixed emotions about vacating his position.

“It’s sad to leave something you love,” he says. “Change is tough. We’re a family at Oregon State. It’s going to sting a little bit. But once the burn is over from taking off the bandaid, I am going to be excited to be able to spend more time with my family, and to move on to the next chapter.”

The Barney brood includes daughters Hayden, 14 and a freshman-to-be at Lakeridge High; Zoey, 11, and Devyn 9, and son Noah, 2 1/2. The three girls are softball players.

“I have spent a lot of time coaching other people’s kids,” Barney says. “I am super excited to be able to coach my kids now.”

Barney’s plan is to build a baseball and softball academy in the Portland area. He intends to start out conducting mini-camps and lessons at The Bat Company, a training facility in West Linn.

“We’re looking at some properties in the West Linn area,” Barney says. “I’m going to use (The Bat Company’s) space until we get ours done.”

(Those interested in lessons or attending camps can contact Barney at 643Barneysports@gmail.com.)

Barney also hopes to hook up with some broadcasting duties.

“It’s another way to be involved and serve as an ambassador for the game,” he says. “But the first thing I want to do is get the hitting facility rolling.”

Wong will be an excellent coach at Oregon State, but the Beavers missed out on a chance to retain one of the all-time greats in Barney. Baseball is Oregon State’s marquee sport. No other sport comes close to the success built under Casey over the past two decades. Barnes should have done everything he could to keep the status quo intact.

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